This invention relates generally to a pivotable display unit support structure for electronic apparatus, such as a laptop computer or a portable computer or the like, wherein a display unit is pivotally connected or hinged to the housing of the electronic apparatus and adjusted for desired viewing angle.
FIGS. 1A and 1B respectively illustrate conventional pivotable display unit support structures known in the art. In the pivotable display unit support structure shown in FIG. 1A, a pivotable display unit 1 and electronic apparatus housing 2 are coupled so that unit 1 is rotatable about shaft member 5 and frictional shaft member 4 and is secured into position by reinforcing support member 3. Member 3 is an L-shaped metal plate and has an aperture at its lower end for support on shaft member 4 and is secured at its other end to one side of pivotable display unit 1 as shown at 4A. The shaft portion of frictional shaft member 4 is inserted into an insertion hole of housing 2 and thereafter secured in this position. Shaft member 5 is rotatably supported in housing 2 at its outer end to support the other side of pivotable display unit 1.
In the pivotable display unit support structure shown in FIG. 1B, one end portion of electronic apparatus housing 7 and pivotable display unit 6 are coupled to each other with use of frictional shaft member 8 which is secured to housing 7 at one end and includes reinforcing member 8A for securing member 8 to pivotable display unit 6. Shaft extension portion 7A extends from receptacle side edge in housing 7 and is inserted into aperture 6A formed in pivotable display unit 6 thereby coupling together the other end portion of pivotable display unit 6 to housing 7.
In these conventional pivotable display support structures, the frictional shaft members 4 and 8 are secured independently of the extended shaft member or aperture portions of the respective apparatus housing 2 and 7 and pivotable display units 1 and 6, and as a result, the precision by which shaft alignment is obtained and maintained is relatively poor.
In the pivotable display unit support structure shown in FIG. 1A, mounting precision between reinforcing support member 3 and frictional shaft member 4 poses a problem because a clearance is generally formed or required between the aperture in reinforcing member 3 and the shaft portion of frictional shaft member 4 to facilitate mounting operations. When the initial clearance is excessively large or enlarged due to subsequent movement of display unit from continuous use, pivotable display unit 1 will no longer be easily positioned at a desired viewing angle and display unit 1 will not properly align with housing 2 in its closed position. On the other hand, when this initial clearance is too small, assembly of associated components of display unit 1 and housing 2 becomes difficult and pivotable adjustment of unit 1 is stiff and is not easily adjusted to a desired viewing angle. Reinforcing member 3 and frictional shaft member 4 must, therefore, be mounted with high precision in order to avoid these problems. Moreover, even if they are mounted with high precision, the weight of pivotable display unit 1 is concentrated on the bearing portions of the associated coupling components of unit 1 and housing 2, i. e. rotatable support members 4 and 5, which increases the wear of these parts developing an excessive clearance and resulting in increased difficulty in setting the angular adjustment of display unit in its open position, as previously indicated.
In the pivotable display unit support structure shown in FIG. 1B, since frictional shaft member 8 is directly secured to display unit 6 via member 8A, the weight of display unit 6 is concentrated directly on portion 7A and member 8A which function as bearing supports. For this reason, flexure occurs in the shaft portions and of the support points and error readily occurs in mounting frictional shaft member 8 relative to its shaft portion. In particular, since the shaft portions of members 7A and 8 are constructed of plastic material, the amount of flexure of member 8 is large, which adversely affects the ultimate precision in the mounting of these components.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a pivotable display unit support structure having high precision in shaft alignment and support strength.